Diseases

Diseases and OPIM (Other Potentially Infectious Materials)

All body fluids and human tissue have the potential for harboring disease. Because of this, cleaning the site of a traumatic incident requires the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which includes a zippered, full body suit with hood and booties, eye protection and a respirator.

Protect yourself, protect your loved ones and protect the environment by having all potentially bio-hazardous materials properly disposed of through Critical Care Bio-Recovery.

Bloodborne Pathogens:

Hepatitis A

Transmitted through feces contamination of water, food and drinks

Can lead to chronic liver problems

Symptoms more common in adults

Almost 1% fatality rate

Hepatitis B

Transmitted via blood or blood derived body fluids

73,000 new cases annually

Approximately 1.25 million carriers in the United States

Laboratories have found live Hep B viruses in blood pools 30 days old

Hepatitis C

Transmitted via blood or blood derived body fluids

2.7 million Americans are infected with Hep C-80% of those show no signs or symptoms

Over 90 varieties of Hep C viruses are known

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has determined the Hep C virus can survive at least 7 days in dried blood

HIV/AIDS

Transmitted through body fluids

No cure for either HIV or AIDS

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has found the HIV virus can survive at least 7 days in a blood pool

Infection can occur when infected blood has contact with a break in skin or mucous membranes such as the eyes, nose and mouth

Airborne Pathogens:

Tuberculosis

Transmitted from person to person through the air

If a TB infected person coughs or sneezes, they release the disease into the air where it can be inhaled by healthy individuals, who then may become infected

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)

Transmitted through the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents. Humans CAN contract the disease when they breathe in the aerosolized virus.

Leptospirosis

Eating food or drinking water contaminated with urine from infected animals

Contact through the skin or mucous membranes (such as inside the nose) with water or soil that is contaminated with the urine from infected animal

Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis (LCM)

Breathing in dust that is contaminated with rodent urine or droppings

Direct contact with rodents or their urine and droppings

Bite wounds, although this does not happen frequently

Direct Contact:

Plague

Bite of an infected flea

Direct contact with infected animal

Rat-Bite Fever

Eating or drinking food or water that is contaminated by rat feces

Bite or scratch wound from an infected rodent, or contact with a dead rodent